In 1997, at the age of 15, he released his major-label debut, 'Lie to Me'. Though it picked up mixed critical reviews, the album served as a commercial breakthrough, with single "Lie to Me" particularly receiving much airplay and earning the #12 slot on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart. That blues rock track continues to be beloved by Lang's fan-base.
Lang followed with 'Wander This World', released on October 20, 1998. Broadening his sound somewhat with influences from classic soul and modern rock, the release experienced widespread success. His singles, "Wander This World" and "Still Rainin'", did particularly well, the latter tune reaching the #8 slot on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart.
Several releases and constant touring later, Lang's latest work is 'Fight For My Soul', released on September 2, 2013. The album has received critical acclaim from publications such has Allmusic, with the reviewers remarking that Lang "dives headfirst into classic soul and R&B, its elastic, funky grooves allowing the guitarist plenty of space to solo". It also hit the #20 slot on Billboard's 'Top Rock Albums' chart, selling extremely well.
Part of his success has been due to a voice that sounds somewhat like that of a 40-year-old blues veteran, containing what fans have seen as a harshness tempered by a fine falsetto that has taken prominence in his newest albums. Another part of his success is his scorching, electrifying guitar solos, which display a prodigious natural talent honed by years of practice and playing. Whatever the secret to his success, the youngster has quickly become a fixture in the blues world, drawing crowds wherever he goes.
Lang has drawn deeply from the wellspring of influences from the likes of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert King, Luther Allison, and Albert Collins. Many blues artists have also been encouraged to pick up the guitar from his example. As he becomes more confident in his role as a musical veteran instead of a boy wonder, one can see the possibilities he has yet to share with his fans.
Happiness and Misery
Jonny Lang Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My only friend is my dad's radio
Seventeen feels like I'm thirty-four
How do I get myself up off the floor
I need a cure
Happiness and misery
I'm up and down so confused
But there's nobody listening
Stop the war inside of me
Pull the plug, kill the lights
I can't break free
It's happiness or misery
I wish the clouds would all come out today
Send the rain and wash it all away
Am I going crazy I don't know
I wonder will anyone miss me if I go
Happiness and misery
I'm up and down so confused
I want to scream
But there's nobody listening
Stop the war inside of me
Pull the plug, kill the lights
I can't break free
It's happiness or misery
Happiness and misery
I'm up and down so confused
I want to scream
Stop the war inside of me
Pull the plug, kill the lights
I can't break free
Happiness or misery
The lyrics of Jonny Lang's "Happiness and Misery" capture the feelings of loneliness, confusion, and despair that so many young people experience. The first few lines describe the sense of isolation that the singer feels despite being surrounded by a thousand people. His only companion is his father's radio, which suggests that he is seeking solace in something that reminds him of home and familiar comforts.
The next few lines reveal that the singer is only seventeen but feels like he is already thirty-four, which speaks to the weight of responsibility and pressure that he is feeling. He is desperate for a cure, but it is not clear what he is seeking to cure--depression, anxiety, a sense of purposelessness--or all of the above.
The chorus repeats the title of the song, emphasizing the dichotomy between happiness and misery and the singer's struggle to find a middle ground. He is "up and down so confused" and wishes he could scream, but there is nobody listening. The second verse continues this theme of feeling overwhelmed and not knowing how to cope. The singer wishes for a release, either through rain washing away his problems or through the ultimate escape of suicide.
Overall, Lang's lyrics paint a poignant picture of the emotional turmoil that many young people face. The song offers no easy answers or platitudes, only a raw and relatable exploration of the highs and lows of the human experience.
Line by Line Meaning
A thousand people here but I'm alone
Despite being surrounded by many people, the singer feels completely isolated and alone.
My only friend is my dad's radio
The singer has no human companionship and finds solace in listening to the radio.
Seventeen feels like I'm thirty-four
The singer feels like he has already experienced a significant portion of his life and is burdened by the weight of his experiences.
How do I get myself up off the floor
I need a cure
The singer is struggling and feels like he needs a solution to whatever is weighing him down.
I want to scream
But there's nobody listening
The singer wants to express his inner turmoil but feels like no one will hear him, leading to further isolation.
Stop the war inside of me
Pull the plug, kill the lights
I can't break free
It's happiness or misery
The singer is battling internal demons and feels like he needs to shut off everything around him to find peace.
I wish the clouds would all come out today
Send the rain and wash it all away
The singer wishes for metaphorical rain that will cleanse him of his problems.
Am I going crazy I don't know
I wonder will anyone miss me if I go
The singer is questioning his own sanity and wondering if anyone around him would care if he were no longer present.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: FREDERIKSEN, LANG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
LizAndrsn
on Red Light
To me Red Light speaks of someone at the crossroads of taking their own life, questioning their life decisions and future.